Metallic awnings having adjustable louvers and lever-actuating mechanism therefor



April 24, 1956 J. DE MARTIN METALLIC AWNINGS HAVING ADJUSTABLE LOUVERSAND LEVER-ACTUATING MECHANISM THEREFOR Filed June 1, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet1 INVENTOR. JOSEPH DE MHRT/N BY F/TTOEWE) April 24, 1956 J. DE MARTINMETALLIC AWNINGS HAVING ADJUSTABLE LOUVERS AND LEVER-ACTUATING MECHANISMTHEREFOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 1, 1950 WQM RM ma m mr w H m P r El M w H J u METALLIC AWNINGS HAVING ADJUSTABLE LOUVERS ANDLEVER-ACTUATING MECH- Y ANISM THEREFOR Joseph De Martin, Brooklyn, N. Y.Application June 1, 1950, Serial No. 165,499

' 2 Claims. ,(Cl. 20-575 This invention relates to improvements inmetallic 1 awnings having adjustable louvers and lever-actuatingmechanism therefor operable from within a room, and particularly to thattype of metallic awning which is provided with a series of louvers orvanes which are pivotally connections or rods located outside the windowor like structure or when located Within a room has been done bycomplicated winding mechanism and' tioned within and outside the house.

One of the objects of this invention is to simplify the structuralcharacteristics of a metallic awning and its operating mechanism and toprovide a device that may be manufactured at a greatly decreased cost;that may be readily and easily erected, and in which the louvers may beeasily adjusted from full open to completely closed positions by aminimum movement of operating mechanism located Within a room or thelike; and with this end in view I provide an awning having adjustablelouvers mounted to move to open and closed positions, respectively, bylevers having pivot-fulcrums positioned closely adjacent to one endthereof to produce along weight arm and a short power arm and preferablyto utilize the louver itself as. the opening and closing lever.

I am thus enabled when such. pivoted louvers are combined with properoperating mechanism not only to permit facile adjustment but to do so bya simple reciprocating movement of operating mechanism of minimumextent.

Another object of this invention is to enable operation of the louversthrough a wall, window casing or the like by a straight horizontal rodhaving a short reciprocating movement and without the necessity ofrotating or turning transmission rods with gearing or other outsidedevices. I

Another object of my invention is in a device of the character specifiedthat is operable through a wall, window frame or the like to utilize anoutside mechanism including an upright reciprocating transmission rodhaving at its upper end a connection with a series of louver opening andclosing levers, and at its lower operating end 7 having a connectionwith a bell-crank lever which in turn is connected with amanually-actuated reciprocating rod.

With these and other objects in view, the invention comprises thecombination of members and arrangement of parts so combined as toeo-act-and cooperate with each gearing posi-' United States Patent other'in the performance of the functions and the accomplishment of theresultsherein contemplated, andcom- Patented A r." 24, '1956 prises inone of its adaptations the species or preferred formillustrated in theaccompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a sectional view on the line 11 of Fig. 2 looking in thedirection of the arrows of a metallic awning with transverse louversmounted on a window frame; 7

Fig. 2 is a view in front elevation of the awning shown in Fig. 1; v

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1 looking in the directionof the arrows;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged section of my manually-recipro cable insideoperating handle and rod connected with an outside bell-crank lever fortransmitting movement tothe louver-operating members; 7 Fig. 5 is asection on the line 5-5 of Fig. 6 showing a modified form withlongitudinally-disposed louvers;

Fig. 6 is a plan view of the awning and mechanism illustrated in Fig. 5;and V Fig. 7 is an enlarged view of the fragmentary portion shownbetween the lines 7 7 of Fig. 6 broken away with parts in section taken.on the line 7-7 of Fig. 5.

Referring now to these drawings and particularly to Figs. 1 to 3 thereofwhich illustrate a preferred embodiment of my invention, I have shown anawning preferably comprising a louver-embodying body portion 10 and sidemembers 11. fastened to the window frame 12 in any suitable manner, andmy improvement consists in the construction and operation of the louversin said body. portion.

In accordance with the form of my invention shown in Figs. 1 to 3, thesaid body portion comprises a fixed metallic frame member 13 in which aseries of louversv 14 are pivotally mounted and arranged to be adjustedfrom the full open position shown in dot and dash lines to thecompletely closed position shown in full lines in Fig. l. The louversare disposed transversely of the. frame, and, as illustrated, each ofthe louvers 14 is pro- .vided on its under surface with a pivot-bearingbracket 15 in which is mounted a pivot fulcrum 16 "projecting from theframe 13. Said bracket and pivot-fulcrumare positioned closely adjacentto one end and preferably to.

the upper end of each louver to produce in the louver a relatively longweight arm 3 .6 and a relatively short power arm 16*. As illustrated,the end of each power arm has fixedly connected thereto one end of ashort cleat 17, the opposite end 17 of which ispivotally connected to acontinuous louver-connecting member 18/ In the embodiment shown in Figs.1 to 3 the louver" itself is utilized as the opening and closing leverWhichswings about the pivot-fulcrum 16 to open and closed. positions andI am thus enabled when such louvers are combined with proper operatingmechanism not only to permit facile movement and adjustment "of suchlouvers but to do so by a simple reciprocating movement of minimumextent of such operating mechanism. In the embodiment shown in Figs. 1to 3 the connecting member 18 is operated to open and close the louvers,as aforesaid, by means of an arcuately-movable transmission link lever19 fixedly pivoted at one end 19 to a bracket 20 fastened to the windowframe 12 and connected at its outer end 19* by means of a slot-and-pinconneetion 19 with the upper end of the louver-connecting member 18, andsaid fixedly-pivoted transmission-link 19 is engaged intermediate itsends at 19? by an upright transmission rod 21 which extends downwardlyto the lower portion of the window frame and is connected at said lowerend .with operating-lever means comprising, as shown, a bell- I cranklever 22 pivoted intermediate its ends at 22 and having connectedthereto at its lower end a straight rod 23 extending through the windowframe into a room and provided within the room with a stationarymounting elementand handle 24 adapted for manual engagement toreciprocate the rod 23 and thus'to move the bell crank.

This awning is adapted to be fitted and 3 lgg 'fhe ispregrnhly composedof a stationary part 24 and a movable part 24 which is fastened at 24 tothe rod 23, and in the preferred embodiment of my invention shown thestationary part 24 of the handle n en herjd is provided wit a set screzsa ap ss to n a e th Insta ls n 11 s th same Man raui ar p 's o o nicvmen th e As il stra ed t e bsllsra k s is iv sl v ssnted p a br cket itb e t e utsi e of th windowtranieandcomprises aweight arrn 22 and apower arm 22 with which the rod 23 has a slot and pin csn sst q at Itwill be seen from the above tha ha fi bil d With m ad ustab lo v at a emo bl f om u 99 to' plet y lo e p s tion the mo em n f sh rtls wh c sose l s a m im m o ement, lever means operable by; a ,shp t reciprocatingmovemsnt tn p rat a d louve to o en a ds s positions and to hold the,same-in any intermediate position. In t s nbsd me t lus a d, t e a d forOperating my louver-adjusting mechanism is adapted to extend within theroom only a very slight distance and because of the short leveragesufficient power will be provided to move the levers readily and easilyand to hold the same in any adjusted position required or desired by thehouseholder.

In the preferred embodiment of my invention the transmission rod 21 isproyidedwith an inwardly bent portion 214 at itsupper end and a similarinwardly bent portion 2112 at itslower end so as to position the rodduring operation in close proximity to the window frame.

In Figs. to 7 I have shown a modified form of my invention in whichaninclined frame 28 is provided with a series of longitudinally-disposedopenings 29 having longitudinally-disposed louvers 27 mounted thereoverand ada ted UPQDmovement to open and close the openings and byadjustment of such louvers 27 to admit more or lesslight and air throughsuch openings. As illustrated. each of the louvers 27 is provided on.the middle portion of its under surface at positions adjacent to eachend with pivot-bearing brackets 30 having pivotally connected theretothe ends of a pair of spaced adjusting levers 31 which are pivotedintermediate their ends on fixed pivot shafts 32 which are mounted inbearings 32 and extend transversely across the series of louvers. Theselevers 31 are so pivoted as to provide relatively long weight arms 31and relatively short power arms 31. The ,ends of the power arms 31 areeach pivotally connected to a series of longitudinally-disposedlever-connecting members 33 each of which, upon downward and upwardswinging movements, is adapted to swing the levers 31 about the pivotshafts 32 and thus to raise and lower and to adjust the louvers inrelation to the frame openings 29. Such movement of each of theconnecting members 33 is accomplished by connecting its upper endpivotally t the outer end 34' of a relatively long arcuately-movabletransmission link lever 34, which at its opposite inner end 34 isfixedly mounted on a shaft 35 mounted at its opposite ends in brackets35 attached to the window frame, and fixedly mounted on the same shaft35 is a shorter link lever 3d thus providing a long weight and shortpower lever combination. Said shortpower lever 34 has connected theretothe upper end of an, upright transmission rod 36 which extendsdownwardly to the lower portion'of the window frame and is connected atits lower end with mechanical power-applying means adapted to change thedirection of movement and to enable operation of the transmission rod bya simple reciprocating movement. As shown, the lower end of saidtransmission rod 36 is connected to the upper arm 37 of a bell-cranklever 38 pivoted at 39 on anoutside bracket 40 and having itslower arm41 connected in all respects similar to the device shown in Fig. 4. by aslot n P c n st n w a ho zo all -d o e s ra t rod 42 extending throughthe window frame into the room, and provided within the room with astationary mounting element 43 and a handle 43 adapted for manualengagement to reciprocate the rod 42 through h i d f am an th ough th tanar ement 43, and thus to move the bell-crank lever 38 and the uprightrod 36 which in turn moves the link lever 34 to rotate the shaft 35which swings the link-lever 34 and which in turn moves the connectingelement 33.

In the construction of Figs. ,5 to 7, the adjustable louvers are movablefrom full open to completely closed position or. viceversa-bystheimovementtof the short lever 34 which moves the shattSS ionwhich the series of long levers 34 are also fixedlytmounted and-whichhave slot and pin connectionswith the connecting members 33. By thisconstruction, the short lever 34 and rod 36 haveminimum-movementsand areoperable to move the louvers to openandclosed position by a shortreciprocating movement of the 'handle"43 and to hold the same in anyintermediate position. The handle for operating such louver-adjustingmechanism is thus adapted to extend within the roomionly -a shortdistance, and because of such short leverage-suflficient power will beprovided to move the levers readily and easily and to hold the sameinany adjusted position required or desired by the householder.

In this construction also the transmission rod 3.6 is providedwith-inwardly bent portions 36* at its upperend and a similarly inwardlybent portion 36 at its lower end so as to position the rod in closeproximity to the window fr me- Having described my invention, 1 claim:

1.. In a metallic. awning for window-frames andthe like of thetype-having a louver-supporting frame fixedly mounted to extend at anacute angle to the vertical members of a window-frame and providediwitha series of adjustable louvers piv otallymounted.therein to provide arelatively long weight arm and a relatively. short power arm, alouver-adjusting mechanism including a reciprocating connecting memberpivota ly connected with the" ends of the power of said series oflouvers and extending substantially parallel to said louver-supportingframe, an arcuately-movable link-lever mounted atits inner end on afixedaxis on a vertical member of the windowframe within said acute angleand, adjacent to the mounting of said louver-supporting frame, saidlink-lever having a sliding connection at its outer end with saidreciprocating louverfconnecting member, an upright reciprocablctransmission rod of rigid material extending parallel with the windowframe and having at its upper end a connection withv saidarcuatelyrmovable link lever intermediate the ends thereof, andmanually-movable operating means, including a pivoted lever connectedwith the lower end of said upright transmission rod and operable toreciprocate said transmission rod and thereby to rock saidtransmissionlink lever to move said connecting members andadjustinglevers.

2. In a metallic awning for window-frames and the like of the typehaving a louver-supporting frame fixedly mounted to extend at an acuteangle. to the vertical members of a window-frame and provided with aseries of adjustable louvers pivotally mounted therein to provide arelatively long-weight arm and a relatively short power arm, alouver-adjusting mechanism including a reciprocating connecting memberpivotally connected with the ends of the, power arms of said series oflouvers and extending substantially parallel tosaid louver-supportingframe, an arcuately-movable link-lever mounted at its inner end on afixedaxis on a vertical member of the window-frame within said acuteangleand adjacent to the mounting of said louver-supporting frame, saidlink-lever having a sliding connectionat itsflouter end with saidreciprocating louver-connecting member, an upright reciprocabletransmission rod of rigid material extending parallel with the windowframeand havingat its upper end a connection. with saidarcuately-movable link-lever intermediate the. ends thereof, andmanually-movable operating means ead,

mediate its ends on the window-frame and having one end connected withsaid upright transmission rod and Y movable handle cooperating with saidstationary mounting means and having a connection with said hori- 10zontally-disposed manually-reciprocable rod.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS BaxterFeb. 3,

Bond July 7,

Webber Apr. 8,

Ackerman Aug. 12,

Keene June 26,

FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain Jan. 5,

